I may be stirring the pot here and starting an online brouhaha, but I’m going to do it anyway.
On Wednesday, my youngest had his two-year check up. And, as all you parents know, that meant immunizations. This time, there were two: Hep A and the Influenza vaccine. When we went in for the appointment, he’d already had a cough for about a week. The doctor listened to his lungs and checked him out. He was just fine. They gave him his shots, told me he was in the 97th percentile on growth (no surprise, he’s a big boy!) and sent us on our merry way.
Fast forward a couple of hours later. The fever begins. Moms and Dads, you’ve all been there after a round of shots. You know the drill. Tylenol. Some cuddling. A bath. He was up a few times that night at his dad’s coughing. 101 fever.
Thursday, the day after the shots, we got a call from the day care saying he had a fever and we needed to pick him up. He had a 101 fever and was acting sick. My ex went and got him.
By two this morning, his fever was 103. I gave him Tylenol and a bath. He finally fell asleep about an hour later. He woke up this morning just miserable. His fever was 102.5. I gave him another bath and more Tylenol. His fever went up to 102.9. The doctor said to bring him in.
We get to the doctor and, of course, he’s running around like a wild two-year old. The only way you’d know he was sick was his cough. Oh and the disgusting runny nose. His fever was gone. He was happy.
Any guesses as to what the doctor said, $30 later? If you guessed “virus,” you are right! Or, it could be a reaction to the vaccines, they said. Or… better yet… he could have gotten sick by going to the doctor’s office to get the vaccine.
He just woke up from a nap and is back up to 102.5…
So… my question for you is… should we bother with vaccines? The whole point is to make sure they don’t get sick. But, if we’re making them feel miserable in the process… is it worth it?
Mom Land 
Jan 27, 2012 @ 13:06:04
My son is going in for his 17 month check up at 4 this afternoon. We won’t be getting ANY shots today. My husband and I are not a fan of vaccines, and don’t believe that they are 100% necessary for every child. Parents have the right to do what they choose with their children, and we choose not to put him through all the shots. He is generally a very healthy kid, and if we know about a friend with a cold/flu we just stay away. Obviously that not all that vaccines take care of, but I wasn’t vaccinated as a child, and I’m perfectly healthy.
Jan 27, 2012 @ 13:44:28
Ocea, I agree with the being able to pick and choose. There are some vaccines that aren’t really necessary. Some things don’t even seem to help that much, like the Chicken Pox vaccine. Getting the chicken pox is not the end of the world… Good luck at today’s checkup! 🙂
Jan 27, 2012 @ 13:16:18
OMG, of course we should be “bothering” with vaccines! The occasional reaction is a bazillion times better than the mass outbreaks that would happen with out them. Anton got a smallpox vaccine before he went to Asia. it was gross, but I’m so glad he got it. The reaction lasted a month, it ached, it scabbed, it oozed, and eventually scarred. We were instructed to seal the old band-aids in plastic bags and spray them with clorox bleach when he changed bandages. The small pox vaccine used to be standard issue until the 80’s when it was considered thankfully wiped out in America. Now they just vaccinate people (like our soldiers) who are go to strange places where small pox is not vaccinated against in the general population and is still around. How about polio, do you want to tangle with that with your kids or would you rather power through the 2 day reaction he just had? Look into the diseases we vaccinate against and do a cost/benefit analysis…decide by looking at the symptoms if you are glad we’ve wiped these diseases out by responsible national vaccination plans or if you’d rather have them still around. There’s the question of the few kids who get brain damage or die from their vaccination reactions, but weigh that against the thousands that would die if we didn’t vaccinate.
Jan 27, 2012 @ 13:42:23
Christy- see I knew I’d be stirring the pot! 🙂 Yeah, the military/overseas vaccines are the worst! And no, I don’t want my kids to get polio. They are all up to date on their vaccines.
Jan 27, 2012 @ 13:49:18
my health was pretty good for 10yrs feeling great then got a flu shot got sick!! so for me I’m not for the flu or any new one that comes out.
Jan 27, 2012 @ 14:39:35
Kelly, Doesn’t that always seem the way?!
Jan 27, 2012 @ 13:52:27
I do get my kids vaccinated but I will not allow them to get the Hep B shot, after doing research, I am not comfortable with it at all! I get sick mabye 1 every 2 years, but since i have kids I decided to get the flu shot 2 years in a row, each time i did I got the flu and it lasted close to 2 weeks both times, so sick i could barely get out of bed. So for me, i avoid the vaccinations at all cost, and I avoid certian ones for my kids. I think it’s the parents choice and should make the choice that’s right for their child weather people agree or not as a parent it’s your choice! 🙂
Jan 27, 2012 @ 14:40:16
Erin, Now you’ve got me interested… what did you find about the Hep B shot?
Jan 27, 2012 @ 13:54:24
We’ve managed to eradicate or almost eradicate many diseases which used to kill children regularly. Yes, some people have a bad reaction to vaccines but it shocks me to know so many think it isn’t necessary to vaccinate children. It’s almost as if every hundred years or so people have to be reminded of how bad things used to be.
Jan 27, 2012 @ 14:41:15
Cmg, Do you think all vaccines are necessary or just some? I agree, it’s been able to eradicate a lot. We should be thankful for that!
Jan 27, 2012 @ 15:19:04
I absolutely think vaccines are neccasary ESP. For kids going to public schools and such its too easy to get stuff and die these days the only shot I’ll never do again is the flu shot because its not a proven shot just a close guess and when we got it last year cuz my sons docs one of those “the parents need it first to show them its alright docs” we were all sicker than ever but never had a bad reaction to any other shot
Jan 27, 2012 @ 17:03:15
J- seems like lots of people had adverse reactions to the flu shot… Wonder if that’s what happened to my boy…
Jan 27, 2012 @ 16:28:35
Think back to the days when thousands of people died from those very illnesses that you are vaccinating your son against. How devastating those times were and how many lives have been saved due to the vaccines.
As a mother of five, who has been through countless rounds of immunizations, I sincerely doubt that they are what caused your son to become ill.
Very brave of you to bring up this discussion topic. It is one that people tend to feel strongly about.
Jan 27, 2012 @ 17:02:23
D_nwhite, It IS a controversial topic, isn’t it?! Man… it gets people riled up!
Jan 27, 2012 @ 17:25:16
Visit a kid who didn’t get the MMR vaccine in his wheelchair while his mom and caregiver wipe his drool and change his diaper. His 17 but at 2 was perfectly normal till he got measles. Visit a kid hospitalized for bacterial meningitis that could have been prevented by a H Influenze vaccine. Talk to a parent who has lost their child to flu. Fever is nothing compared to these consequences. Vaccinate? Yes!!!
Jan 28, 2012 @ 11:25:14
Nicole, you make a very good point. Its terrifying to think what could happen to your child.
Jan 28, 2012 @ 17:41:44
People are so ill-informed I’m afraid for humanity. Parents, research REAL science. Not media hype. Smallpox has been eradicated from the world (the only disease to earn that title), but because there are stores of it at places like the NIH and other institutions in other countries, it is possible that it could be used as a biological weapon someday. Since the advent of the Chicken Pox vaccine, disease-related hospitalizations and deaths have decreased dramatically. The virus can be nasty; just because you didn’t die from it as a kid is it something you want to chance with your child? People that don’t vaccinate are the problem. They diminish ‘herd immunity’ and people die. Do research people. Don’t listen to the media.
Jan 31, 2012 @ 20:39:49
Liz, I’m a journalist so I tend to give some credence to what the media has to say. But you do have to do your own research. Sounds like you have!
Jan 30, 2012 @ 05:20:25
I really don’t like vaccinations, but I can understand that some of them are necessary. I hate to say this, but a fever (although horrible for the child and parent), would be nothing compared to the alternative.
My worst fear is not giving it to my daughter, and then having her exposed to someone who was really sick. It seems like a lot of the stuff we vaccinate our kids from are things that some adults carry and end up getting our kids sick.
Jan 30, 2012 @ 20:41:38
Kalley, that is always scary. The thought of my kids getting really sick freaks me out. He’s feeling a lot better now, by the way.
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Jan 31, 2012 @ 07:44:14
IF you decide not to vacinate your child….what do you do to help build their immune system???
Jan 31, 2012 @ 20:36:54
Julie, hmm… lots to think about!
Jan 31, 2012 @ 10:57:03
I did alot of research, but one site is National vaccine information center. there have been really bad side effects reported including death, blistering skin long lasting effects on the liver, paralisys,and much more. this web site has stories of some of them. I could be overreacting but it was an eye opener for me.
Jan 31, 2012 @ 20:25:12
Erin, I’m always freaked out when “death” is a possible side effect!
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